Person-Centered Care Reduces Psychotropic Medication Usage in Randomized, Controlled, Alzheimer’s Trial - Abstract

Q: What condition and symptom domain does the study target?

The study targets moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).

Q: How were participants assigned to the interventions?

Twenty Alzheimer’s disease carepartner dyads were randomized to receive either usual community care (UCC) or comprehensive individualized person-centered management (CI-PCM).

Q: What were the main findings regarding medication use and outcomes?

CI-PCM reduced BPSD and significantly lowered psychotropic medication usage compared with UCC from weeks 4 to 52 relative to baseline, alongside improved health outcomes.

Sep 29, 2026

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Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in Alzheimer’s disease and linked to adverse health outcomes. Psychotropic drugs used to treat BPSD show limited benefit and harmful effects, including stroke and death. A 28-week trial with a 24-week extension evaluated comprehensive individualized person-centered management (CI-PCM) versus usual community care in community-dwelling adults with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. Randomized dyads receiving CI-PCM showed significant reductions in BPSD and lower psychotropic medication use at baseline and follow-up weeks.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 651 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2225 PERSON-CENTERED CARE REDUCES PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION USAGE IN RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED, ALZHEIMER’S TRIAL Sunnie Kenowsky1, Yongzhao Shao2, Qiao Zhang2, Sloane Heller3, Martin Sadowski2, Thomas Wisniewski2, Arjun Masurkar2, and Barry Reisberg2, 1. New York University Langone Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Center for Cognitive Neurology, New York, New York, United States, 2. New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States, 3. Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are prevalent and associated with poor health outcomes. Psychotropic medications, prescribed to treat BPSD, have limited efficacy and deleterious effects including stroke and death (ncbi. [nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551552](nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551552)). To evaluate whether comprehensive, individualized, person-centered management (CI-PCM) could improve healthcare for persons diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease (PAD) we conducted a 28-week and a 24-week extension trial in community-residing, 65-year and older PAD ([doi.org/10.1159/000455397](doi.org/10.1159/000455397)). Twenty PAD-carepartner dyads were randomized to receive usual community care (UCC) or CI-PCM. BPSD were assessed using the Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer’s Disease-FrequencyWeighted Severity Scale which showed significant benefit in PAD receiving CI-PCM at 52-weeks (p = 0.01, doi:10.1002/ alz.090018) . BPSD and medication usage were assessed at baseline, and weeks 4, 12, 28 and 52. Differences in psychotropic medications taken were compared by calculating the percent maximum daily dose of each medication taken cumulatively throughout each observation period and examining the ratio of daily medication usage in each group using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test. At baseline, PAD receiving CI-PCM consumed significantly less psychotropic medication than those receiving UCC (p = 0.017, [doi.org/10.1002/alz.056048](doi.org/10.1002/alz.056048)). Therefore, we analyzed the magnitude of daily medication used in each group on a per day average from weeks 4 to 52, compared to baseline. PAD receiving CI-PCM consumed significantly less medication on a per day average (p = 0.002) and PAD receiving UCC consumed significantly higher total amounts of psychotropic medication (p < 0.0001) from weeks 4 to 52, relative to baseline. CI-PCM is readily implemented, reduces BPSD, reduces psychotropic medication usage, and improves PAD health outcomes.

FAQs

What condition and symptom domain does the study target?

The study targets moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).

How were participants assigned to the interventions?

Twenty Alzheimer’s disease carepartner dyads were randomized to receive either usual community care (UCC) or comprehensive individualized person-centered management (CI-PCM).

What were the main findings regarding medication use and outcomes?

CI-PCM reduced BPSD and significantly lowered psychotropic medication usage compared with UCC from weeks 4 to 52 relative to baseline, alongside improved health outcomes.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Mia